New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-11
LESSON ERON HISTORY.

Politicians who shrink from duty, when duty
involves bravcly confronting popular prejudice
ard ignorance, and lab0riOusy educating the
pcolIe, may gain courage by the study Of his
tory. In August 1875. the Republican party
seemed hopccsSy broken by the money qucs-
ton and doomed to defeat. Ncw-Iork was
lost. Ohio was the pivot. and William Allen
had swept the state for soft money. His party
had carried the state by 1900 IN 1871.
Rcrnblicans by the thousand were mislcd by
the Grccnbacli faIlacy. or frightened out of
Their convictions by dread OF contraction and
resumption. In August, 1873, there were
whole counties in Ohio where the Hcpuhican
PATTY seemed To have gone over almost bodily
to the soft money side; ~ some not single
Republican committeeman could he found to
call meeting. not single paper to print in
formation for The people. and even the Federal
postmaatcrS and other officers were openly
hostile to resumption. Ii took courage for
Republican leaders to face this flood of Cno-
rance. prejudice and selfish fear and tc begin
teaching the people faithfully. Bat Sinking
would have beer suicide.
senator sherman, Mr.. Hayes. the candidate
for Governor, General Garfield then Eeplc-
sentative and other men Of conscience, brains
and pluck. went before the people with spcn-
did fidelity. wavcling not hairs breadth.
ilboIing nightly and faithfully, beating down
prcjudccS stansling S.phiStry, teaching the
doctrine Of honest money from the very alpha
bet. 1t was to tie end a doubtful struggle,
but they conquered by $500 votes that year,
and by 1900 against Mr.. ridden the next year.
Mr. Hayes became President. Mr.. Shcr-
man became immortal as the Finance
Minister who led the Nation in accomplishing
what no other nation had ever accomplished
resumption came without shock and brought
with it grand prosperity, and the RcpuDllcan
party well deserved and hcld the power for
eight years more because it had not lacked
the courage to be true to its principles.
This year protection for home industry calls
for similar fidelity. prcjudiccS darkcn the
air, and selfish interests mako the path hard
in some localities, but nowhere harder than IN
1915 it seemed to lift Ohio to the resumption
Of specie payments. There is not a Northern
State in which the people cannot be convinced
that protection is at once their duty and '"Crr
sulcSt path to prosperity. while there are South
crn States in which President Clcvciands free
trade departure makes his party helpless Of
success unless by fraud. There are ten months
in which to educate the people. All that Is
needed is stcadfast and courageous fidelity To-
Republican principles 1t would be easier,
some men think, to shout for man and put
aside ideas. But party which fails to teach
the people its bciicis. to justify lis course for
twenty-five years past by patient reasoning,
TO invite defeat unless a victory can be honor
ably won, deserves nothing but defeat III IA
sclf-gOvcrnlng country. The RcpuDlIcan
party has "a leader who does not shrink from
the rugged issue. If other leaders and the
great array of workers and teachers are equally
brave and faithful it will not fail.